What to Do if You Think Your Teen is the Victim of Date Rape Drugs

Sadly, no matter the precautions a parent or teenager takes when in a social setting, sexual assault is all too common in the United States. If you think your teen has been the victim of a sexual assault where date rape drugs were involved, you need to know the proper steps to take next.

Four undergraduates from the University of North Carolina made news a few years ago for discovering a new way to see if a drink has been adulterated by date rape drugs. They invented a nail polish that changes color when dipped into a tainted drink. While some have celebrated this innovation for its potential applications, others have pointed out that the nail polish will probably not be as effective or accurate as laboratory testing. In some cases, non-lab based test for date rape drugs have been too sensitive and in other cases, they haven’t been sensitive enough. It remains to be seen how effective the nail polish will be at detecting date rape drugs.

If you do find that your teen has been a victim of sexual assault, make sure to take the proper steps to ensure your teen is properly taken care of, both physically and mentally.

Steps to Take After a Suspected Sexual Assault

Because date rape drugs make it hard to remember what happened, often the victims of date rape don’t even know what has happened until 8-12 hours after the attack. It’s important for you to move quickly if there are any of the following signs of date rape drugs since they leave the body so quickly:

Feeling drunk or hungover when they haven’t consumed any alcohol

Feeling the effects of drinking unusually strongly

Feeling extremely disoriented

Not remembering large chunks of time

Finding clothing is torn or askew

Feeling as though they had intercourse, but not remembering it

Step 1: Seek Medical Care

If you think your teen has been sexually assaulted while under the influence of date rape drugs, call 911 right away or take them to the emergency room. It’s important that the victim doesn’t urinate, bathe, brush their teeth, wash their hands or other body parts, change clothes, or even eat or drink before they go. All of these actions could result in the loss of critical evidence from the sexual assault.

Step 2: Call the Police

When you are at the hospital, call the police and have your teen tell them everything they can remember. It’s important that no details are left out, as they could help law enforcement determine who gave them date rape drugs.

Step 3: Date Rape Drugs Testing

Your teen also needs to get tested for date rape drugs if you suspect you were sexually assaulted. Remember, these drugs leave your system quickly — GHB is gone in 12 hours, while Rohypnol can be detected for 72 hours — so the sooner you are tested, the better.

Step 4: Counseling

Consider encouraging your teen to pursue treatment for emotional trauma. Working with a sexual assault crisis counselor can help victims address their feelings and also provide guidance as they move forward to press charges and continue dealing with the aftermath of the assault. For immediate help coping with sexual assault, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE.

Help With Date Rape Drugs in Kansas City

While no parent or young adult wants to face the reality of date rape drugs and sexual assault, it’s crucial that everyone knows the right steps to take in the event of a suspected date rape drug situation.